Freebirds World Burrito at the corner of Broadway and Hitt Street is scheduled to have their grand opening at 11:00 a.m. Thursday and they are giving their first 25 customers free burritos for one year.

Excited customers are camping out for the night in anticipation of earning free food.

MU student Mark Anderson is no rookie to the restaurant. "I'm from Dallas Texas and it's very popular down there," he says. Anderson plans to pass time by playing Bags with his friends and talking to people in the crowd. He hopes it doesn't rain but if it does, he plans to stay anyway and keep his mind on the burritos.

Regional Manager Scott Black says the restaurant will be a great addition for Columbia. "It's just a cool place to hang out whether you want to take it with you or stay and enjoy the atmosphere," he says. "We have TVs and alcoholic beverages so if you want to sit and watch a game it's a great place to do that."

Even with plenty of competitors in Columbia, Black is not worried about the success of the restaurant.

"We take a different approach and have a lot more selection as far as our menu and ingredients," he says. "We can meet just about any appetite."

Freebirds will open at 10:30 a.m. for the first 25 customers and 11:00 a.m. for normal restaurant hours.